Patapsco McKeldin

Special offer to McKeldin Orange course participants: We're sorry for the control mix-up! If you come to this coming Sunday's event at Hemlock Overlook park, do a course for free with our best wishes.

This was a wonderful Mother’s Day at Patapsco McKeldin with lots of sun and the temperatures reaching 80 by the end of the day. This was also the premiere event for our ‘Spring Tumble’ which is a mash up of a Stumble + Billygoat and we kicked it off with a mass start at noon with over 40 orienteers. We had an excellent turnout with 110 starts on courses designed by Dan Quinn. The area received lots of rain the day before which postponed hanging of some controls. Many thanks to Dan Quinn and Tom Nolan who were up bright and early on Sunday morning hanging the rest of the controls to ensure that the Spring Tumble would be ready. There were a couple of mix-ups with the numbers vs. lettering in the windows—something to work on for next time — but overall the runners found the courses challenging, well designed, and had a lot of fun! Also, many thanks to map vetter/updater John Blaisdell for creating such detailed maps -- your attention to detail was recognized and greatly appreciated by many!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you everyone who came out on this Mother’s Day to volunteer! I know it was a sacrifice, but the day would not have been as great without your help! Many thanks to the following volunteers: Set Up – Jody Landers, Mike Newman; Registration – Bill Grubb, Barry W. Fortune, John Blaisdell, Heidi Onkst, Tom Cochrane, Gerson Monjaras, Adam and Kathryn Kemper; Beginner Instruction – Tim VanVranken, Christiana Logansmith, Jack Logansmith, Kathleen Lennon; the amazing E-punch team – Amy Louden, Valerie Meyer, and Erin Jenkins; Clean-up – Patty Mace; and Control Pick-up – Mark Mace, Erin Brandt and her dog, Frantisek Brabec, Eddie Bergeron, Mihai Sirbu, Greg Lennon, Kim Jepsen, and Charles Carrick.

Ranger Joe Vogelpohl and the Patapsco Valley State Park staff were very supportive of our event. They even made sure that the fee box was emptied to ensure that there was space to deposit the parking fees (which occasionally overflows).

Also, many thanks to all the volunteers who assisted long before the event with all your advice and recommendations: Tom Nolan, Corinne Porter, Valerie Meyer, Amy Louden, Vic Culp, Greg and Kathleen Lennon, Heidi Onkst, Mike Newman, and Nadim Ahmed! We are so fortunate to have your leadership at QOC!

With much appreciation,

Lydia Andrews, (first time!) Meet Director